Default Home Page Disappearing

I am running windows 8 professional, and use both the desktop and "metro" versions of internet explorer, letting windows choose which one.

I have run into a problem where the default home page somehow gets erased and replaced with nothing. This seems to happen primarily when I invoke IE from the desktop. I click on the icon, and get the message that the browser could not connect, and if I look under internet options, no home page is shown. I always have to click the button to restore the default.

One problem I have noticed with both machines that I have running windows 8 professional is that even though they are constantly connected to the internet, either though Ethernet or wifi, I am periodically advised that I have no connection to the internet. Perhaps the "removal" of the home page is tied to that.

This problem does not seem to be reported by others, and I am curious as to what it might be.

Try resetting IE and see if that helps.
Go to Internet Options>Advanced>Reset.

Internet Explorer - Reset - Windows 7 Support Forums

Tried that tonight, rebooted, and the problem is back.

I wonder whether the problem is related to synchronization of the settings between two windows 8 pro installations, one on my desktop computer, and the other my tablet.

I just double-clicked the IE icon on my desktop and got "this page cannot be displayed" advisory. If I go into tools/settings/internet options on the general tab the homepage is shown as http:///

If I check my tablet, the general tab shows the same thing.

If I change to the default home page, after the browser is closed and another session is started, something removes the default setting and strips the web page address, because the only changes I have made have been to continue to press the Use default button every time it happens.

I have applied the registry change suggested in the article, because the problem was persisting, and there was no practical way to stop it other than the registry fix.

I would still like to figure out what was causing it. I have not seen any posts reporting a problem similar to mine.